


Psilocybin

by deepliketherivers



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Antagonistic Spirit to Friends to Lovers, But they are MOSTLY for research, Forest Deity Baekhyun, M/M, Magical Realism, Mild Angst, Mushroom Scientist Yixing, forest god au, psychedelic mushrooms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-06 18:55:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13417527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deepliketherivers/pseuds/deepliketherivers
Summary: Yixing was just looking for a nice, quiet place to study mushrooms where nobody would accuse him of growing or distributing illegal substances.Baekhyun wants Yixing to get the hell out of his forest.





	1. Chapter 1

Stepping into the greenhouse for the first time felt like an honest to God miracle considering the astronomical amount of setbacks Yixing’s contractor had faced in the year long process of building a usable research facility. He let his fingers glide over the clear plastic trays that would hopefully never be this clean again. A greenhouse without soil in it felt like a body without a soul. 

Finding this place had been enough of a pain, even without dealing with all of the freak environmental accidents. The nature of Yixing’s research made it essential that he was close enough for his wealthy sponsors in Seoul to check up on him regularly, but far enough from civilization that local police wouldn’t accuse him of growing and distributing illegal substances. Honestly, the amount of suspicion surrounding psychedelic mushrooms was a little dramatic. 

Yixing had been exploring the local woods on a routine mapping of the area’s biome when he came across a new looking home with a FOR SALE sign posted in front of it. The encounter was bizarre, considering the remote location and modern design of the house. When he called the number on the sign, a real estate agent informed him that a young couple had built the house together, but quickly realized that living alone in the forest was not as romantic and enlightening as they had imagined. They had abandoned the house, and no one had inquired about it until Yixing called about the property. 

It took some convincing, but the Research Board had agreed that his work would be more fruitful if he were allowed to cultivate his own plants and experiment without the university police constantly hovering over his shoulder. The necessary permits were acquired, and it seemed he was finally going to be able to start working. 

It was only noon, but the building was already becoming quite warm as the sun refracted through the bubbled glass. Yixing tied a bandana around his head to keep his hair away from his face and got to work. For the rest of the day, he kept himself busy hauling soil into the plant beds and enriching them with the necessary minerals and phosphates, carefully aerating the dirt with a rake. 

As he worked, the smell of fresh dirt rose up into the air. The scent only intensified when he hooked up the sprinkler system and misted all of the beds with some water. Yixing softly sang to himself as he worked, pleased to see his space transforming into a place where he could make things grow.

The sun was just beginning it’s descent into the west when Yixing’s productivity was interrupted by a sudden crash outside. He hurried out of the building and gaped at what he found. A sizeable tree branch had come down on the back of his little pick-up truck, leaving a dent in the bed and cracking open the cooler full of food he’d brought with him. 

Yixing looked up in astonishment at the aspen tree that seemed perfectly solid, at a loss for why it had suddenly lost one of its limbs. He wrapped a hand around the tree branch, intending to heave it off of the truck when a flurry of movement caught his eye and caused him to jump back in alarm. He peaked back inside the bed, and sure enough there was a horde of ants crawling around the branch, his truck, and his groceries. 

“Oh my god.” he muttered to himself, baffled by the sheer improbability of the event that had just happened. He squinted down at the swarm of bugs and was relieved to see that they appeared to be harmless black ants, but he was at a loss for how to save his food. Looking around for a solution, his eyes caught on a hose he’d attached to the greenhouse not too long ago.

He picked up the hose and fiddled with the settings on his sprayer for a moment before deciding that JET would provide the quickest and least painful death for most of the ants. Being crushed by water pressure seemed like an easier way to go than drowning. 

When the bed of his truck was full of ant corpses and puddles, Yixing put the hose down and gingerly lifted the lid on his cooler. There were a few survivors that had wriggled down to the bottom of the container, and he decided to leave them be, gently shaking his grocery bags to displace them.

With a sigh, Yixing decided that moving the tree branch could wait until tomorrow. After locking up the greenhouse, he gathered up his groceries and headed into the house.

* * *

From the tree line surrounding the property, a pair of sharp black eyes watched intently as Yixing went inside. Once the human was gone, Baekhyun walked over to the scene and set his mouth in a grim line when he saw the carnage there. 

“Sorry, little friends.” he muttered, allowing the few surviving insects to crawl out of the truck and onto his arm before setting them down onto the ground. 

He approached the window next, observing the newcomer move around his kitchen, putting his supplies away before he began to prepare a meal for himself. Baekhyun’s brows furrowed in frustration—he’d hoped that the human’s food would be ruined. 

Baekhyun trained his eyes on the human and projected his presence outward, smiling vindictively when he saw the human pause for a moment and check over his shoulder. For now, he didn’t want to be seen, only felt. For months he’d been causing trouble for the construction crews that had been putting up the new structure on this property, but it seemed that this guest wouldn’t be persuaded by the suspicious amount of bad luck that already surrounded his new home. It was frustrating to be ignored, but Baekhyun would make sure the newcomer understood his message eventually. He was not welcome here. 

Closing his eyes in concentration, Baekhyun focused on the mint plant sitting in a pot above the kitchen sink. With a pulse of energy, he caused the plant to instantly wither and die. 

It took the human a while to notice. He sat at his table and ate his meal, but he stopped when he went to wash his dishes. With gentle fingers, the human touched the blackened leaves. He felt the soil next, rubbing the moist dirt between his fingertips, obviously confused about how the well-watered plant could have died so quickly. 

Baekhyun stared long enough that the human looked back towards the window one more time, then he decided that he’d done enough for the night. The moon was rising, and he had other things to do besides antagonize the newcomer. 

He would be back.

* * *

“So, this is what everything looks like!” Yixing announced, turning the camera around on his phone to show his friends his new workspace. “I finished prepping everything yesterday.”

“It looks great!” Tao replied, “Lu, come look. Yixing’s greenhouse is finished.”

Luhan’s face appeared on the screen, “I can’t believe they actually let you have a cabin in the woods where you grow shrooms.”

Yixing turned the camera back around and frowned, “They’re for research.”

“Turn it back around. I didn’t get to see it.” Kris took the phone from Tao, brushing his fingers through his bangs as soon as his face appeared on the screen.

Yixing happily walked them through the rooms of the greenhouse before heading back to the house, promising to give them a tour of his new home as well. 

“Wait, Xing, is that your truck?” Kris asked before Yixing could get back into the house. “What happened to it?”

Yixing sighed and got closer to the truck, zooming in so his friends could see the large dent and scratched paint that the fallen branch had caused, “Yeah, there was a weird accident the first day I got here. A tree branch fell down into the bed here. All my food was back there, and it got covered with ants.”

There was a gasp from off screen, and Tao wrestled the phone back from Kris, “Are you serious? What did you do?”

Yixing shrugged before remembering that his friend couldn’t see the action. He turned the camera around and said, “I sprayed it down with a hose and killed most of them. The food was all in plastic bags, so I didn’t have to throw anything away.”

Tao shuddered, “Gross. What a rough first day.”

“There’s actually been a lot of weird stuff happening since I got here.” Yixing told them as he walked inside, “My mint plant died out of nowhere, and I keep getting this feeling that I’m being watched. And this morning when I woke up, the main water line was disconnected from the greenhouse, even though I swear I hooked it up.”

Tao’s eyes went wide, “Oh my god. Yixing, your new house is haunted.”

Kris scoffed and slapped the back of the other boys’ head lightly, “Would you stop?” the older boy turned his attention back to Yixing, “He’s been on a supernatural kick lately. Trying to see auras and shit.”

“Don’t be so dismissive, Yifan!” Tao protested, “If there’s a being causing trouble like that, it' powerful, and it could be malicious. Breaking things and killing plants—that’s dark.”

Kris rolled his eyes, “Luckily, the chances of Yixing actually being haunted are slim to none.”

Tao ignored him, “Can I do a séance at your new house, Xing? I’ve watched at least a hundred YouTube videos on cleansing rituals, and I bet I could definitely do one.”

Yixing shrugged, “Will you come visit me if I say yes?”

Tao nodded eagerly, “Yeah, we can all come and do it together!”

“I won’t go.” Kris called from off screen.

Tao scowled, “Don’t pay attention to him. Luhan will come.” 

“Okay.” Yixing agreed easily, “I don’t mind.”

Luhan turned the phone screen to face him, “You just agreed to let Tao do a séance in your house.”

“Yes. Will you come?”

Luhan crossed his arms, “I mean… yeah. Somebody’s gonna have to take Tao home after he works himself into hysterics.”

Yixing beamed, “Great! I’ll make fried chicken.”

* * *

“Kris really didn’t come?” Yixing asked that weekend as he opened the door for Tao and Luhan.

Tao rolled his eyes, “No, he said ‘I don’t want anything to do with your weird ghost circle.’ Personally, I think he’s just scared.”

Luhan nodded in agreement, “He says that he just thinks it’s stupid, but I went to a haunted house with him one time, and he nearly wet himself. Technically I couldn’t hear him screaming, because I was screaming louder, but the terror was definitely mutual. Did you make us food?”

Yixing nodded and led them into the kitchen, where he’d already set out their meal for the night. 

“God, Yixing, I love you.” Luhan plopped down into a chair and immediately started piling food onto his plate. 

Tao lingered in the living room, digging into a large black bag and pulling out a variety of materials. Candles, sage, sweet grass, and what looked like a crystal on a string were all laid out carefully on the coffee table. Once he was happy with his preparations, Tao also made his way into the kitchen. 

They chatted over their food, sharing stories that had happened while they’d been apart. Tao told them about a disastrous photo shoot where his director had instructed him to go undress without telling him where his wardrobe team was. He’d assumed it was intentional and the shoot was supposed to be in the nude, only realizing his mistake when his make-up artist started screaming. 

“Hey, you know what we should do before we start?” Luhan asked as they started clearing up dinner. “We have access to a… spiritual conduit, if you will. Psychedelics are supposed to open up your mind to the world around you. We should eat some of Yixing’s mushrooms.”

Yixing just stared at him disapprovingly before returning to the dishes. 

“Oh, come on, Xing!” Luhan whined, “I read the other day that you can turn shrooms into tea, and I want to try it so bad! It’s not like it’s heroin or anything—we’ll be fine.”

Yixing turned off the sink and dried his hands on a dishtowel, “Just because psilocybin isn’t addictive doesn’t mean you should use it recreationally. Bad trips are a real thing that I would like all of us to avoid.” 

Tao came to Yixing’s defense. “Are you serious, Lu? Being in an altered state of mind could open us up to all kinds of bad energy.”

Luhan pouted but accepted defeat, “Well, I guess we can just start then. Since nobody wants to get high first.”

Ignoring Luhan’s comment, they moved into the living room where Tao began arranging his things. He tucked the plants next to him for later use and arranged the candles in a circle around the coffee table, pulling out a lighter to light each one of them. He carefully tied the pendulum to a u-shaped stand so that it was suspended over the table, then he sat down on the ground and gestured for his friends to do the same. 

“Now, remember.” Tao told them, “As long as we only invite good spirits into our circle, nothing that wishes us harm can manifest itself. There’s no reason to get scared, and if anyone gets uncomfortable, we just have to blow out the candles.”

“Have you done this before?” Yixing asked curiously.

“No. But I’ve read a lot about it.” Tao held out his hands, which Yixing and Luhan took before also linking hands with each other. 

“Okay.” Tao smiled nervously, “Let’s start.”

* * *

From the window, Baekhyun watched as the human and his friends set up what looked like some kind of summoning ritual. Clearly, the newcomer was beginning to suspect that he wasn’t alone in his new home in the woods. 

Well, Baekhyun would make sure his suspicions were confirmed. He wasn’t technically a spirit, so there was no compulsion to speak with the humans, but that certainly wasn’t going to stop him. 

The tall human made everyone hold hands and asked, “At this time, I invite any friendly spirits to join us in this circle. Is there anyone here with us?”

Baekhyun focused on the pendulum in the center of the table. He started out small, causing the rock to sway back and forth in an answer that was barely there. 

The speaker noticed immediately, his eyes widening, and he nodded towards the pendulum to direct the others’ attention to it. 

“Do you… Do you have a message for us?” The tall one continued. 

Baekhyun raised his hand and knocked twice on the window. 

All three men jumped and turned towards the window. Baekhyun laughed as they all looked straight through him. Human eyes really were pathetic. 

“Can you knock again?”

Baekhyun made a fist and pounded it against the window hard, making the glass shudder under his hand. 

“Blow out the candles, Tao.” The blond human spoke up, “Blow them out now.”

The tall human hesitated before he asked, “Is there any way for you to communicate your message?”

Baekhyun grinned, opening his mouth wide to breath on the glass. In the fog left behind, in all capital letters, he wrote one word. 

LEAVE

As soon as the word became visible, the blond human started to panic. He yanked his hands away from the others, “Blow them out, Tao! This isn’t funny, blow out the candles!”

This time, Tao obeyed, leaning over to extinguish the flames. Baekhyun blew more air onto the glass, covering the whole window in his breath. From the top to the bottom he wrote over and over, LEAVE LEAVE LEAVE LEAVE LEAVE. 

“It’s still here!” The blonde one was shrieking now, “You said it would leave once the candles were gone! Why is it still here?!”

Baekhyun was just about to slam his fist into the window again when a warm hand wrapped around his. 

“That’s enough. You’ve caused enough damage for tonight.” 

Baekhyun’s shoulders jumped up to his ears as he recognized the familiar voice.

“Minseok… I didn’t know you would be out tonight.”

Minseok raised an eyebrow at him, “Clearly. Come on. We need to talk."


	2. Chapter 2

It took a lot to rattle Yixing. There wasn’t much that could get under his skin, but he had to admit that the experience he had with Tao and Luhan was undeniably upsetting. He had to face the truth that something was here, and it clearly didn’t want him to stay. 

A part of him wanted to just abandon the house. He could leave it all behind and make up a story to tell the Research Counsel about why he was unable to work here. There would be other research opportunities, and keeping his new greenhouse wasn’t worth dying at the hands of a tormented soul. 

But there was another part of Yixing that was intensely curious. What kind of being could manipulate matter and energy in a way that allowed it to kill plants, move objects, and remain unseen? His mind kept drifting back to what Luhan had said the night before about the mushrooms… could they really open his mind up to the paranormal?

Yixing had been studying the effects of psilocybin for years now, and he knew that people who used mushrooms recreationally reported being able to perceive and feel things that were outside of the normal realm of experience. He’d always assumed that it was just a side effect of distorted processing in the brain, but perhaps there was more to it.

As he prepared breakfast, Yixing's eyes wandered over to the jars where he was keeping his starter plants. Inside each of them were dozens of _psilocybe baeocystis_ clinging to the glass. Luhan had mentioned making them into tea…

Yixing clicked down the lever on his electric kettle and waited for the water inside to boil. He watched tiny bubbles form on the bottom of the kettle and thought about if this was really a good idea. There was nobody here to help him if the trip went bad, and if anybody found out, his project would be shut down. Not to mention he could go to jail for misusing his permits. 

But if it worked, Yixing would be able to see exactly what had lashed out at them last night. 

He opened one of the jars and plucked out three mushroom caps, putting them into a bowl to crush them up a bit before putting them into a mug. When the water boiled, he poured it over the mushrooms and let it steep until it had turned a murky brown. He wondered if adding sugar would affect his experience before shrugging and adding a spoonful. 

Taking a seat in his recliner, Yixing could look directly at the window that had been the center of their experience last night. He took a sip of the tea and grimaced at the taste, gulping the rest of it down to get it over with. 

He settled deeper into the chair, fixed his eyes on the window, and waited to start tripping.

* * *

Minseok took Baekhyun deeper into the forest, where the trees grew so densely that the moonlight from above couldn’t pierce the foliage, but Minseok kept the pathway lit with bright orbs of blue light that followed them as they walked. They went to the shrine: a small structure that had been there for so long that most of it had already been claimed by the forest. The collapsing walls were covered with vines and moss, and while the walls used to be red, there was no longer any trace of the original paint. 

“I don’t know why you still hang out here.” Baekhyun commented, kicking a rock petulantly, “Nobody brings you anything anymore.”

Minseok took a seat in the ruins, on an entanglement of vines that looked suspiciously like he’d manipulated the trees into creating a throne. “I existed far before the humans ever entered this forest, and I will live here long after. Whether or not they worship me matters very little. Nevertheless, this place has witnessed the whispered prayers of thousands, and that power continues to reside here.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and sat on one of the crumbling walls, “I think you just enjoy the drama of living in a rotting temple, but whatever. Why’d you bring me here?”

Minseok pursed his lips, “Don’t play dumb with me. We’ve talked about this, Baekhyun.”

“We haven’t talked about anything.” Baekhyun huffed, “You talk at me and refuse to listen to what I have to say.”

Minseok’s eyes narrowed, “You are not a child. Don’t act like one. I have listened to your tirade against humans dozens of times, but I remain unconvinced. Your cynicism does not give you the right to torment the guests who visit these woods, and I will not allow you to turn my domain into hostile territory. All are welcome to enter this forest as long as they do not cause harm.”

“They always cause harm!” Baekhyun threw his hands up in frustration, “Why do we have to wait for them to prove what we have already seen so many times before? You are too patient, Minseok, and you would wait for the humans to overrun our home before taking action.”

“There is a single man living on the outskirts of the forest!” Minseok pointed out, “Could you please explain how that threatens us in any way?”

“Because I don’t want him here!” Baekhyun insisted, “Just knowing that he’s here makes me feel like we’re not safe. I can’t rest, Minseok. Every time I try, I can only think about what new violence could be brewing on our doorstep.”

Minseok sighed and his eyes softened. The seat he was in warped until it was big enough for two people, and he motioned for Baekhyun to come sit next to him. 

Baekhyun only resisted for a moment before he slouched over to sit by Minseok, leaning into the other man’s shoulder when Minseok pulled him into his side. 

“You have to stop, Baekhyunnie.” Minseok told him quietly, drawing his fingers through Baekhyun’s hair, “You cannot allow this anger to fester in your heart. A long time ago, you were also a human, and you were not evil. I wouldn’t have allowed you to stay if you were.”

“They make me nervous.” Baekhyun muttered back.

“I know, but you must understand that not all of them wish to bring harm. They do not deserve to be frightened and driven out. In the morning I want you to return and fix what you’ve done.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Baekhyun pouted. 

Minseok slapped the back of his head, “The greenhouse, Baekhyun. Our guest worked hard to make a good place for his plants to grow, and you poisoned all of the soil. I may be old, but I can still sense a curse when I'm near one.”

Baekhyun burrowed further into Minseok’s shoulder, groaning dramatically in protest. 

Minseok shoved Baekhyun off of him, “Go. I will be unhappy if it’s not done by noon tomorrow.”

* * *

Yixing was starting to worry that he had gotten high off his ass for no reason. 

The world was a pleasant blur around him, colors bleeding together and shifting to turn his living room into a melty crayon drawing. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exactly what he wanted either. 

He kept his eyes on the window, willing anything to appear there. Outside, he could see the domed walls of his greenhouse where they beamed in the sunlight, scattering light like a prism. Yixing could tell that the drug in his system was starting to wear off when the greenhouse stopped shining like a flashlight and began to fade to its normal state. 

But as the world began returning to normal, Yixing could swear he saw movement near the greenhouse. He leaned forward in his chair and squinted hard, afraid to actually stand up when the world was still twisty and warped. 

There was definitely someone there. The figure had its hand resting against the glass, and it appeared to just be standing there. From where he was sitting, Yixing couldn’t really see much else. 

Determined to figure out what he was looking at, Yixing stood up and tried to walk to the window. As soon as he tried to get to his feet, he stumbled to the side as the floor shifted beneath him. Apparently the mushrooms hadn’t worn off as much as he thought they had. Yixing half-walked, half-crawled to the window, pressing his eyes to the glass to see what he was looking at. 

The figure had its back to him, and Yixing couldn’t make out much but the person’s clothes, which looked out of place for the time and location. It looked like they were wearing a loose, white tunic, tied around the waist to give it some shape. Finally, the person turned around. 

Yixing’s breath caught. The face staring back at him was shockingly pretty and surrounded by an otherworldly glow. There was nothing about this boy that screamed supernatural, and yet Yixing was certain he wasn’t human. He radiated light, and Yixing felt inexplicably drawn to him.

As soon as they locked eyes, the stranger’s eyes widened in shock. When he realized that he had been seen, he sprinted for the trees. 

Yixing stumbled to his door, throwing it open and calling after the retreating figure, “Wait! Don’t go! It’s alright! I just…” his voice trailed off as it became clear that the other man was gone. He slid down the doorframe onto the floor and rested his cheek against the wood, deciding that this was as good a place as any to wait for his brain to return to normal functionality.

* * *

Baekhyun’s heart fluttered anxiously in his chest as he watched the human sink down to the ground and close his eyes. He stayed perched on the upper branch of a nearby tree for a long time, as the human apparently fell asleep in his doorway. 

He’d seen him. Actually looked directly at him and seen him. Baekhyun had visited the house at least a dozen times, and that had never happened before. No mortal had ever been able to pierce his glamour, and his physical form stayed hidden unless he revealed it. 

But the stranger had seen him. 

When it was clear that the human was out cold, Baekhyun crept out of the treetops and approached him. Blood pounded in his ears as he got close enough to touch the human, squinting down at him to see if there was something different about him. The stranger looked the same as he always had, black hair flopping down into his eyes as he slept. 

Baekhyun exhaled slowly and braced himself. If he just touched the human… he could sense any magic running through his veins. Perhaps he had a magical ancestor or had taken some kind of tonic that allowed him to pierce the planar veil. The human was sleeping; he could find out. 

With trembling fingers, Baekhyun extended his hand and rested it against the human’s cheek. He closed his eyes to concentrate, focusing on the human’s life source, searching for any abnormalities. His energy was tinged with something strange, and Baekhyun pushed deeper to try to figure out if it was part of the human’s biology or something supplemental. 

Given that it seemed to be fading quickly, Baekhyun decided that it must be a magical substance that had allowed the human to see him. He was just about to pull away and make his way back into the forest when cold fingers wrapped around his wrist. 

Baekhyun’s eyes sprang open, and he gasped in panic. The grip around his wrist tightened as he tried to yank it away. 

“Stop! I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to talk to you…” The human insisted, pulling Baekhyun towards him as the boy dug his heels into the ground and tried to escape. 

“Let go of me!” Baekhyun shouted, tears welling up in his eyes, “Let go, now!” 

Yixing yelped as Baekhyun’s wrist burned white hot, and he was forced to let go. Immediately, Baekhyun ran for the trees. Yixing sprinted after him, yelling the whole time. 

“Please! I want to know about what you are! There’s no reason to run!”

Yixing lost sight of Baekhyun as soon as they entered the tree line, but he was determined to stay on his trail. Every once and a while he would hear a rustle up ahead, and he followed it deeper and deeper into the woods. 

He was forced to stop eventually as his lungs burned with exertion. He bent double to rest his elbows on his knees, breathing deeply to try and catch his breath. When he stood up again, it began to dawn on him what a stupid thing he had just done. 

There was no chance of finding the boy in these trees, and in the process of chasing him, he’d gotten hopelessly turned around. The leaves above him were too dense to see through, thwarting any chance he had of navigating by the sky. 

Yixing looked around him and sighed as he realized that the forest looked exactly the same in every direction. His phone was at home, and nobody knew he was out here.  
He set his mouth in a thin line and turned around, rationalizing that going backwards was the most likely route home. Hoping that he hadn’t run too far, Yixing started walking.

* * *

When the human stopped chasing him, Baekhyun took a few minutes to lean against the trunk of a tree and try to calm down. For a split second, he’d felt absolute terror as the human grabbed him and refused to let go. Despite his initial panic, it seemed that the human didn’t want to hurt him. 

He could still hear the human, heading back the direction they had come. Baekhyun scaled one of the trees and crawled easily through the thick branches. The trees were so close together here that he didn’t even have to jump to move from one to the next. 

The stranger was wandering, his path taking him too far east to bring him back home. Baekhyun followed behind at a safe distance, curious to see what would happen to the lost mortal. 

They drifted through the woods as the sun set lower and lower in the sky. The human corrected his route a little once he could see where the sun was going down, but he had gone too far off course. 

It grew dark, and the human still wasn’t going the right way. 

Baekhyun considered abandoning him. The human deserved his fate after he had grabbed Baekhyun and tried to hold him captive. 

But the longer Baekhyun watched the stranger, the less inclined he felt to walk away. The human hummed to himself as he walked, often leaning down to inspect plants as he went. He seemed particularly interested in the various fungi that grew at the base of trees and on the rotting remains of logs. The human would stop and look, touching the plants gently with his fingertips before he would mutter to himself that he needed to move on. 

He never plucked anything from the ground, and he was careful to avoid stepping on any little patches of flora. Baekhyun scowled when the human skirted around a bramble of baneberry. Stupid to keep it alive; it was a poisonous weed. 

Night settled on the forest, and the human seemed less relaxed than before. He didn’t stop anymore, and the humming had stopped a long time ago. Eventually he stopped walking, sinking down to sit with his back against the trunk of a large oak. 

Baekhyun waited for the human to stand back up and resume walking, but he just sat. As the temperature dropped, his teeth began to chatter, and he wrapped his arms around himself. It was a pathetic sight.

They weren’t far from Yixing’s home—only about a mile. The human kept getting close to it, but never near enough for him to see the lights or figure out where he was. 

Baekhyun watched a little longer, keeping himself hidden in the treetops. It became too much when the human started scraping together leaves, apparently with the intention to burrow into them and sleep. 

He raised his hand and sent out a little ball of light, bright and blue in the inky darkness. The human just stared at it for a minute, then looked around to identify its source. 

Baekhyun sent out another light farther out, letting the first one fade. The human got to his feet cautiously and followed the light. 

They moved together like that, Baekhyun lighting up the path home. When the yellow became visible, the human relaxed noticeably, slumping against a tree as he realized that he was home. 

Just to be a brat, Baekhyun summoned one more ball of light right in front of the door. It disappeared when the human put his hand on the doorknob. Before he went inside, the human turned around scanned the trees one more time.

Baekhyun shrunk back into the darkness, and the human spoke to him.

“Thank you.” He called towards the trees before opening the door and going inside.

Baekhyun frowned and turned around. The human could keep his gratitude to himself. He'd only helped him because Minseok would beat him if the human died, and he'd done nothing to help. Besides, disposing of the corpse would have been a pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minseok calling out Baekhyun on being an obnoxious lil' shit is my ultimate kink. Also I am definitely, DEFINITELY, on some kind of list after all the searching I have done on psychotropic drugs this week.


	3. Chapter 3

For two weeks, living in the forest was perfectly normal. There were no more freaky accidents, and Yixing never felt the oppressive eyes of an unseen watcher. He moved his starter plants into the greenhouse and dedicated all of his time to his work, writing up preliminary reports on his methodology and purpose that would form the base for his experimentation. 

His life was suddenly boring, and Yixing fell back into the easy rhythm of taking care of his plants and preparing them for use in his trials. He also had two aquariums full of mice to care for now. In the first tank were young, healthy mice, with no detectable abnormalities, and in the second tank were a group of mice who had been born with genetic defects that affected their nervous systems. Some had seizures, others were partially paralyzed, and a few were blind and deaf. Each mouse had a little tag wrapped around their foot, so Yixing could tell them apart once testing began. 

Yixing had one of these mice in his hands when he felt the presence again. Number 6 had a seizure earlier in the day that had weakened her, and Yixing was using a pipette to help her drink some water when the hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he felt a shiver go down his spine. A glance over his shoulder revealed no one that he could see. 

Number 6 wasn’t drinking anymore, just letting the droplets of water slide down her face, so Yixing placed her back in the cage and put away the pipette. The feeling didn’t go away, and Yixing was certain that the being he had seen before was visiting him again. 

Feeling a little silly, he spoke into the air, “Hello? Are you here? I hope you don’t intend to cause any mischief. I apologize for scaring you the other day; I wasn’t really thinking when I grabbed your hand.”

He paused, waiting for some kind of response. There was none, but Yixing continued anyway. 

“I just want to know more about you. At first I thought you were a ghost, but I was able to touch you last time. You were solid and warm, so now I’m even more curious than before. It’s the curse of being a scientist, you know. I want to understand everything, even if it would be wiser to leave well enough alone.”

A warm breeze rustled Yixing’s hair, and he spun around to face the entrance to the greenhouse. The door was shut. 

“Are you able to show yourself to me?” Yixing asked, “Or communicate somehow? You were gone for so long, why did you come back?”

Outside, Baekhyun watched the human through the bubbled glass and contemplated that question. Why was he back? What purpose did he have here?

He no longer felt the need to drive the stranger out of his home. Their walk through the woods had caused something to shift, and the fiery anger he’d felt when the human invaded his territory had cooled into something less recognizable. He still wanted to interact with the human, but it was unclear what he actually wanted to get out of it. 

Baekhyun took a deep breath and let his glamour fall, shifting into the visible plane. Yixing watched as a figure appeared behind the door of the greenhouse, his eyes widening as it came into focus. He approached the door tentatively, reaching out to turn the handle and swing the door open. 

Standing there was the boy he’d seen before, radiant and anxious looking. 

Yixing gaped at him, unsure of what he was supposed to do now. 

Baekhyun licked his lips nervously, “I suppose that I am also curious.”

* * *

Their proximity was awkward at first. They exchanged names, and Yixing invited Baekhyun to come in and speak with him. The boy refused, insisting that he needed to leave for a while. Yixing was uncertain what kind of responsibilities a forest nymph could have, but he let him go. 

But the next day, Baekhyun was back. While Yixing was repairing a broken sprinkler, there was a soft knock on the door, signaling Baekhyun’s arrival. 

Yixing waved him in, balancing precariously on one of his plant beds in order to reach the sprinkler. “Come in, it’s not locked.” 

Baekhyun opened the door and peaked his head in, hesitating before he stepped inside. As soon as his feet made contact with the concrete floor, he gasped and recoiled back in shock. 

“Are you okay?” Yixing put down the wrench he was using and climbed down from his perch, “What’s wrong?”

Baekhyun was staring at the floor with wide eyes. “It’s hot. The floor is warm. Why is it like that?”

“Oh!” Yixing laughed, “It’s heated. In the colder months there’s not enough hours of sunlight and warmth for the plants to be comfortable. The floor keeps it warm in here even if the sun doesn’t come out at all.” 

Baekhyun extended one leg and placed his bare foot back down onto the concrete, gingerly putting his weight on it before bringing his other leg inside. He flexed his toes and rocked back and forth a little, testing out how he felt about the warmth beneath him. 

“Huh. How do you control it?”

Yixing showed him the dial that connected to the heater, which led to a full tour of the greenhouse. Baekhyun listened intently as Yixing explained how everything worked, his nervousness fading away as he became interested in what he was being shown. When they got to back where Yixing kept the mice, Baekhyun beamed. 

“Can I hold one?” he asked.

“Yeah, of course.” Yixing agreed, reaching into one of the aquariums to pull one out. 

Baekhyun cupped his hands and accepted the little animal, cradling him gingerly. “What’s his name?”

Yixing chuckled, “I guess his name is #25. They’re research mice, so they don’t really have names.”

Baekhyun’s nose scrunched up, “That doesn’t seem fair. You should be respectful to them if they are helping you do research. What are you studying in here anyway?”

Yixing gestured behind him, “Mushrooms.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, “Yes. Thank you. What are the mushrooms for?”

“Oh. Well, it’s a little complicated for people who aren’t familiar…”

Baekhyun sunk down to the floor and held #25 to his chest, “I have time. Explain it to me.”

Yixing hopped up onto a worktable to sit comfortably and wracked his brain for where to start, “I’m interested in neuroscience—that’s stuff to do with the brain and nerves. While I was still an undergraduate, they taught us about something that happens to people when they lose a limb. They can start to feel these phantom limbs in places where they no longer exist. Even though the body part is gone, the connections to the missing limb still exists in the brain, and rather than dying, it gets rerouted to other parts of the body. For example, if the nerves have been rerouted through the face, a scientist can touch a blindfolded subjects cheek with a tissue, and they will feel sensation in their missing limb.”

Yixing paused, “Are you following me so far?”

Baekhyun cocked his head to the side, “I think so. There’s no end point for the wires anymore, so the original connection is changed to end somewhere else. But it’s not correct anymore.”

Yixing nodded, “You catch on fast. It’s an incredible phenomenon, and I became fascinated by the concept that the nervous system is malleable. If we could find a way to stimulate and control that re-wiring process it could have implications for a lot of diseases that affect the nerves and brain. Epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, paralysis—none of them have a cure yet, but if we knew how to reconfigure the nervous system around problem areas, maybe they could. All of the mushrooms in this greenhouse produce a chemical called psilocybin, which is commonly used for its ability to cause hallucinations and a feeling of euphoria. The reason it’s so effective for getting people high is because it speeds up the processing speed of your brain and stimulates the use of neural networks that aren’t normally used.”

At this point, Baekhyun had slumped further down the wall, until only his head was propped up. 

Yixing looked sheepish, “I’m sorry. I’m boring you.”

Baekhyun shook his head violently, “No! The floor is just warm, and I like touching it. Keep going. I’m still listening.”

“Oh, well. That’s why I’m studying the mushrooms. I think that psilocybin has potential as a drug that could manipulate the nervous system in the way I talked about earlier. And…” Yixing blushed a little, “I also just like them. Mushrooms. They’re cute.”

Baekhyun grinned, “But some of them are so ugly!”

Yixing shook his head, “I think even the ugly ones are interesting to look at. Their shape and structure are always perfectly suited to their environment.”

Baekhyun shimmied back up the wall and stood up to put #25 back inside the aquarium. “I have to go now, but I’ll come back at sundown tonight. There’s something I want to show you.”

Yixing furrowed his eyebrows, “Can you not show me now?”

“It has to be dark.” Baekhyun explained, “You’ll see.”

* * *

The evening air was crisp and cool while Yixing waited for Baekhyun on his front porch. Before the sky could go completely dark, Baekhyun emerged from the trees and made his way over to the house. 

“Are you ready?” Baekhyun asked when he was close enough to be heard.

Yixing stood up and dusted off his pants, “I still don’t know where we’re going, but I suppose so.”

Baekhyun smiled, “Don’t worry. You’ll like it.” 

Yixing followed him into the forest, where the trees above made it even darker. In the dim light, the cool glow that Baekhyun emitted became more noticeable, and Yixing had to remind himself not to stare. Under the moonlight, his skin and hair gave off enough light that Yixing never had to take out the flashlight he had stowed in his back pocket. 

“Baekhyun…” Yixing started as they walked, “This might be a rude question. But what are you?”

Baekhyun pushed his lips out a little as he thought about it, “I don’t know if there’s really a word for it. The closest thing would probably be a nymph or a dryad. I used to be a human, you know, but the forest made me immortal. I’m connected to it; it feeds me. As long as the forest is alive, I will be too.”

“But how did that happen?” Yixing pressed, “What do you mean when you say the forest made you immortal? Why you? Why this forest?”

Baekhyun turned away, “Those are difficult questions.”

Yixing was quiet for a minute, recognizing that he was pursuing an unfruitful vein. “Perhaps you can answer this, then. Are you the being that presented itself on that night with my friends?”

“Yes, that was me.”

Yixing nodded, “I thought so, but… You felt so hostile then. You tried to scare us, but now you’re friendly. What changed?”

Baekhyun shrugged, “I was mad at you then. Now I’m not.”

They walked in silence for a few minutes, Baekhyun walking just a few feet ahead of Yixing as they went. Yixing kept a careful watch on the ground to avoid tripping, and once, when he looked up again, Baekhyun was gone. 

A sliver of panic entered his chest as he looked around and could no longer see the blue light that surrounded Baekhyun. The trees around him were thick and imposing, making it impossible to see much. 

He was about to call out when the light appeared again. Baekhyun peaked back at him and gestured him forward, “Come on. Don’t get too far behind.”

Baekhyun extended his hand, and Yixing wrapped his fingers around Baekhyun’s. The dryad kept a hold on him for the rest of the trip, leading him to their destination. 

After they had travelled about a mile, Baekhyun turned around and smiled at Yixing. “Okay, we’re almost there. I want you to close your eyes.”

Yixing indulged him, obediently shutting his eyes. The grip on his hand tightened, and Baekhyun led him forward, muttering warnings when he needed to be careful of roots or low hanging branches. 

“Okay. Open your eyes.” 

Yixing let his eyelids slide back open, followed by a sharp intake of breath as he looked around. 

In a perfect circle around them were mushrooms, glowing green in the dark. Surrounded by trees, there was a small clearing where they were finally able to see the open sky, and Baekhyun had brought him to the very center of what looked like a portal into another realm. 

“Phosphorescent.” he muttered to himself, getting closer to the circle and kneeling down to look at the little fungi. “I didn’t know that any species of phosphorescent plants grew anywhere in these woods. How did you find these?”

Baekhyun smirked, “I know where everything is, these included.”

“Are there more mushrooms like these in other parts of the forest?” Yixing asked eagerly.

“A few.” Baekhyun confirmed, “But this is the only fairy circle.”

“It’s beautiful, Baekhyun.” Yixing turned and looked at him earnestly, “Thank you for bringing me here. It’s incredible.”

“I like it, too.” Baekhyun sunk down to sit next to Yixing, crossing his legs beneath him, “We can stay for a while.”

Yixing’s eyes wandered between the glowing mushrooms and the glowing boy, and he hummed happily, “Yeah. Let’s stay a while.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's gettin' steamy around here, bois. Sitting in a mushroom circle together, damn.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all remember there's an angst tag, right? Well, it's that time.

They had a routine. Baekhyun would appear at the greenhouse around 2 o’clock every day and leave at sundown. They chatted about the forest and Yixing’s research, their shared interest in plants fueling most of their conversations. Yixing had a sneaking suspicion that the dryad’s presence was actually making his mushrooms grow better. 

Baekhyun was on his way back into the woods after one of their visits when the deep sound of someone clearing their throat startled him. 

Minseok was waiting for him, his arms crossed and his eyebrows raised reproachfully. “What are you doing?” he questioned.

Baekhyun’s hands flew up in the air, “I didn’t do anything bad! I haven’t pretended to be a poltergeist in like two months!” 

Minseok rolled his eyes and reached out to grip the back of Baekhyun’s neck, pushing him deeper into the trees and away from the house. “You are the most frustrating being alive, do you know that?” he complained. “I know you haven’t been trying to drive the human out, but it seems that now I have a different behavior to scold you for.”

Baekhyun hunched his shoulders up to his ears, “What did I do wrong?”

Minseok led him over to the remains of a large tree that had fallen decades ago, slumping onto it with a sigh. “It’s dangerous to get too close to a human, Baekhyun.”

“Are you kidding me?” Baekhyun gaped at him, “You told me that I shouldn’t think of him as a threat! You can’t decide that he’s dangerous now, after I’ve made a friend!”

Minseok picked at the moss on the log with his fingernail, peeling away little pieces from the bark. He sighed deeply and looked up at Baekhyun, “Why can’t you ever find balance, Baekhyun? It’s always extremes.”

“I wouldn’t call this an extreme.” Baekhyun protested, “I got curious, and now I have a friend.”

“He’s going to leave.” Minseok reminded him sharply, “Your souls are fundamentally different. You are permanent. He is not. Even if he chose to spend the rest of his life in that cabin, he will be dead in a blink compared to your lifespan.”

Baekhyun glared, “I know how mortality works, thank you. I’m not attached to him or anything, I just enjoy his company.”

Minseok leaned back onto his hands, “Really? That’s strange, as you’ve never enjoyed a human’s company before.”

“Just because it’s never happened before doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing,” Baekhyun protested, “I’m allowed to change my mind.”

Minseok stared at him for a long moment, sucking his cheeks in as he searched his eyes. “I’m worried about you, Baekhyun,” he admitted, “I’m worried that you are becoming vulnerable, and you don’t know the consequences.”

A cool breeze picked up as Baekhyun set his lips firmly, “Maybe.” The wind sped up when he turned his back on Minseok, “But I’m not going to stop.”

* * *

Baekhyun loved to watch Yixing work. When he couldn’t be bothered to talk, he would just lie on the floor and observe as the human seemed to forget about his presence and go about his business. The mushrooms in the greenhouse had started to reach maturity, so Yixing was starting to focus on tasks other than just tending to their health. He had explained what he was doing to Baekhyun when he first arrived, but he hadn’t actually paid much attention. 

Yixing was seated at a table with at least 20 test tubes lined up in front of him, each one with a ground up mushroom nestled into the bottom. He looked like a giant bug with his goggles placed over his eyes, but Baekhyun had gotten a lecture on lab safety the last time he’d teased him for it. Yixing had threatened to make him wear a pair, so he refrained from bringing it up again. 

With confident hands, Yixing poured four different solutions into the test tubes, waiting for a minute before he took out little strips of paper that he dipped into each one, recording the results when they changed color. Baekhyun’s mind wandered as he watched Yixing work, his eyes fixating on the other man’s hands. 

They were good hands. Attached to good arms, he thought absentmindedly, wishing that the coat Yixing was wearing didn’t cover quite so much of them. 

He closed his eyes and spread out languidly on the floor as his mind wandered, enjoying how the warmth seeped up into his back. 

Yixing chuckled, and Baekhyun opened his eyes again to look at him curiously. 

“You’re like a cat.” Yixing teased, “Stretching on warm tile.”

Baekhyun wriggled playfully, “Cats have got the right idea” He spread out his arms wide, “Your floor makes me feel boneless.”

“Speaking of boneless…” Yixing spun his stool to face Baekhyun, “Have your elbows always been like that?” he asked. “They’re so crooked, did you break them?”

Immediately, Baekhyun drew his arms back into his torso, hugging them to his chest. “Yeah. A long time ago.”

Recognizing the bad reaction, Yixing quickly backtracked, “It’s not bad or anything! I just wondered… I don’t know why I asked that question. Pretend I didn’t.”

Baekhyun sighed and sat up, “It’s okay. There’s just…” he paused, “It’s a sad story. Perhaps I’ll tell it to you later.”

“You don’t have to.” Yixing assured him, “I didn’t mean to bring anything up.”

Baekhyun pressed his fingers into arms, “I think I’d like to tell it to you. But not now.” He relaxed back down onto the floor, “Not here in the sun.”

Baekhyun’s eyes drifted closed again, and Yixing watched him for another moment before he turned back to his work.

* * *

Baekhyun stayed longer than usual that night. He followed Yixing into the house and sat at the bar while Yixing made dinner. He was uncharacteristically quiet, but Yixing didn’t press him for conversation. 

After they’d eaten, Yixing pulled a couple blankets onto the couch and kneeled down to pick out a DVD. 

“Do you want to hear the story, Yixing?” Baekhyun asked him before he could choose a movie. 

Yixing paused and turned to look back at Baekhyun, “You don’t have to share anything that you don’t want to.”

“I want to.”

And the strange thing was, Baekhyun actually did. He’d been thinking about it since Yixing had brought it up, and the more he considered it, the more compelled he felt to share. There was no particular reason that Yixing needed to know, but he felt like telling him anyway. 

A few days ago Yixing had shared more about his past with Baekhyun. He’d told him that he went into neuroscience because his mother had been paralyzed when she was only forty, and she’d died of complications at 46. In that moment he’d felt so close to Yixing, his heart open and soft with compassion for his friend. He felt trusted. He wanted Yixing to feel that way too. 

Yixing climbed back onto the couch next to him and waited, eyes meeting Baekhyun’s gaze curiously. 

Immediately, Baekhyun’s chest swelled up with nervousness. As soon as Yixing looked at him, the certainty he’d just felt disappeared. His throat tightened, and he looked away from Yixing’s face. 

Cautious fingers reached out and covered his own, and Baekhyun felt his heart melt. Warmth flowed from their point of contact, easing some of the anxiety constricting around his lungs. 

“Can you…?” Baekhyun didn’t know how to ask for what he wanted. Feeling a little silly, he grabbed the hand that was wrapped around his and placed it on his neck, then tipped over so his head was in Yixing’s lap. 

Yixing took the hint and pet his hair, smoothing it down against his neck fondly. Privately, Yixing felt a little bit nervous about the whole situation. Baekhyun was clearly about to tell him something that was both important and distressing for him. He resolved to remain calm and supportive, giving Baekhyun whatever comfort he needed. 

“I’m very old.” Baekhyun started, speaking just loud enough for Yixing to hear, “But not as old as the forest. I was born a long time ago to human parents in a village by the water. When I was a child, there were not as many people as there are now, and there were still broad stretches of land that no person had ever touched. I grew up normally, and I had a sweetheart who lived a little further down the river.”

Yixing felt Baekhyun smile against his thigh, “He was tall and a little dumb, and I loved him.”

“We had a wet spring the year I turned 22, and the water was too high and fast to safely canoe to his village, so I decided to walk. It was only about an hour by foot, and I really wanted to see him. I was attacked on the path.”

Yixing’s fingers paused in his hair for a moment before resuming their motion. Baekhyun shut his eyes tight as they started to burn, tears dripping down his cheeks.

“There were four of them, and I didn’t have a weapon. I didn’t stand a chance. I wasn’t carrying much, but they stole what they could. They did awful things to me,” Baekhyun’s voice broke, “And when they were finished, they dragged me into the woods and left me to die.”

Baekhyun sucked in a deep, rattling breath, and Yixing felt his own lungs tighten with emotion as he filled in the gaps Baekhyun left in the story. Baekhyun continued, “Before I lost consciousness, I said a prayer. I pleaded with any deity that would listen that nobody would find my body when I was gone. I couldn’t stand the thought of anyone I loved knowing how much I suffered before it all ended. I imagined Chanyeol finding me and carrying me back home to my parents and my friends, and I couldn’t stand it.”

“The trees were still young then. They hadn’t seen as much, and they were moved by my prayer. When I died, the trees took me, and instead of ascending up, my soul sunk deep down into the earth. The roots and the soil changed me. In the womb of the forest, I was reborn into something divine. When I woke up, the god of the forest was there to welcome me back.”

Tears were falling fast now, soaking the denim of Yixing’s jeans, “My arms were still tied behind my back when I died, Yixing, and my elbows have been crooked since. It’s the only sign that remains on my body of what happened to me.”

Silence fell as Baekhyun finished his story, only interrupted by the occasional sniffle or hiccup of soft crying. Yixing felt a few tears of his own escape as he took in the information he’d just been given. 

Finally, Baekhyun sat up and met Yixing’s eyes, “I’ve been so lonely since then,” he admitted, a fresh batch of tears welling up, “I was so lonely until you got here.”

Yixing pulled him tight against his side and brushed the tear tracks away with his thumb, “I’m so sorry, Baekhyunnie.”

Baekhyun leaned into the other man’s palm, wet lashes fluttering shut as he allowed himself to be comforted. He brought his hand up to hold onto Yixing’s wrist, keeping Yixing from moving away. 

“Promise you won’t leave me alone,” he pleaded, “I don’t want to be lonely again.”

Before Yixing could answer, Baekhyun pushed forward and pressed their lips together, catching Yixing by surprise. Baekhyun’s lips were soft and insistent against his own, and Yixing responded quickly, opening up to Baekhyun’s advances. 

His body fit so perfectly in his arms when Baekhyun swung one leg over Yixing’s lap to straddle his hips. He drew his hand up Baekhyun’s spine, thrilling in the way the smaller man shuddered and pressed himself closer to Yixing’s chest. 

Despite his willingness to pursue the electricity that sparked between them, Yixing felt hesitation as he looked back up at Baekhyun’s face. 

He pushed Baekhyun back a little, ignoring the whine of protest that followed, “What are we doing, Baekhyun?” he asked quietly. “You’re upset. Perhaps… this.” he gestured between the two of them, “Is best saved for a different time.”

Baekhyun shook his head violently, “I want to forget.”

He ducked his head down and whispered in Yixing’s ear, “Make me forget what it’s like to be lonely.”

And how could Yixing refuse?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I'm real sorry for making Baekhyun's adorable bendy elbows sad pls forgive me*


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is sexy and sad. These are your warnings. 
> 
> I also want to just reassure you guys that I write happy endings. I promise.

Baekhyun woke up the next morning to sunlight streaming through Yixing’s window that landed in a fuzzy rectangle on the floor next to the bed. Yixing’s chest was pressed up against his bare back, their skin a little tacky with sweat. One of Yixing’s arms hung limply across his waist, and Baekhyun idly laced their fingers together. 

He stared at the patch of sun, letting his mind wander. Last night had been the tipping point, and now he had to deal with the consequences of his leap. There was no more pretending that Yixing was only a passing interest that would fade with time. He was properly in love with this man. 

The comforter crinkled as he turned over, flipping to look at the sleeping human next to him. Yixing slept with his lips parted, and a little drool puddled on the pillowcase beneath him. Baekhyun’s eyes drifted to Yixing’s neck, and he smirked when he saw the dark purple mark blooming beneath his ear. He blew over it playfully, giggling when Yixing shivered in response. 

The arm around his waist tightened, drawing him in closer to Yixing’s body. He poked the other man's chest, deciding that he was tired of being the only one awake. 

Baekhyun shrieked when he was roughly pushed onto his back, one of Yixing’s legs coming over his thighs to pin him down. 

With half of his body draped on top of Baekhyun, Yixing muttered into his ear, “Stop trying to wake me up. It’s too early.”

Baekhyun squirmed, “You’re being lazy. The sun is up.”

Yixing slapped Baekhyun’s side lightly, “Stop moving and go back to sleep.”

Baekhyun pushed his lip out into a pout, “But I’m hungry.”

Yixing finally slid his eyes open, propping himself up to stare at Baekhyun, “You’re an immortal forest man. Do you actually have to eat?”

“Not… technically, no.” Baekhyun admitted, “But I still like to. And I want to right now.”

Yixing collapsed back down, pushing all of the air out of Baekhyun’s lungs with a wheeze. “Go sit in the sun and photosynthesize or something. I’m not getting up.”

“I can’t photosynthesize, you dick.” Baekhyun muttered but finally stopped struggling and relaxed down into the sheets. 

Yixing hummed in approval and pushed his face into Baekhyun’s neck, kissing his jaw gratefully before drifting back to sleep. 

Baekhyun closed his eyes and followed suit. Morning could wait just a bit longer.

* * *

Baekhyun didn’t leave in the evenings anymore. Even when he got bored of hanging out in the greenhouse, he would sit in the rocking chair on Yixing’s porch, knees drawn up to his chest while his eyes turned distant. When Yixing finished working, he would poke Baekhyun’s cheek and ask him what he was thinking about. 

The answer was always the same. Baekhyun would grin up at him and report, “Nothing important.”

Despite this dismissal, Baekhyun often spent this time contemplating his situation with Yixing. Like a drop of water clinging to a leaf, he was hanging above an inevitable destination. For this short time, he remained suspended in the air, but in the distance, he recognized the ground looming as the laws of nature pulled him down. Minseok’s words echoed in his head. He was permanent. Yixing was not. 

“What are you thinking about?” Yixing tugged lightly on his ear, fingers still clammy from washing dirt off of his hands. 

Baekhyun let go of his knees, letting them fall down onto the ground. “Nothing important.”

He followed Yixing into the house, trailing him into the living room, where Yixing collapsed with a huff onto the couch. Baekhyun crawled on top of him, settling comfortably between Yixing and the back of the sofa. 

They lay like that for a few minutes, quietly enjoying each other’s presence. 

Yixing broke the silence. “I’m going to be gone for a few days next week.”

Baekhyun tilted his head back to look at him, “Why? Where are you going?”

“I need to go to the university and present my petition to the Research Council.” Yixing explained, “My field research permit was only supposed to last six months, and then I was supposed to return to Seoul to work in the lab. If I want to stay here, I need to convince the council that there’s a good reason to renew my growing license.”

Baekhyun tensed, “And you want to? Stay here?”

“Of course I do.” Yixing squeezed his hip reassuringly, “It’s not like you can move to Seoul. So I’ll find a way to be here.”

Baekhyun put his head back down against Yixing’s shoulder, going quiet again. 

Yixing groaned when he looked at the clock, “Okay, time to get up. I need to make some food.”

Baekhyun rolled off obediently, then put out a hand to help Yixing stand as well. When Yixing took it, he used the momentum to pull them together into a hug. 

“I love you.” Baekhyun mumbled, voice muffled by the fabric of Yixing’s shirt. 

Yixing stiffened for a moment, surprised by the sudden confession. He took Baekhyun’s chin in his hand, tilting his face up so he could look him in the eyes. 

“I love you, too.” Yixing returned the sentiment, placing a light kiss on Baekhyun’s lips before pulling back to smile at him. 

The moment hung like a water droplet, perfect and crystalline. Baekhyun closed his eyes, and in his mind, he watched it fall and burst against the ground.

* * *

After they’d eaten dinner, Yixing was doing the dishes when Baekhyun wrapped both of his arms around his torso from behind, burying his nose between Yixing’s shoulder blades. 

Yixing just continued what he was doing, knowing that if he indulged Baekhyun, the chore would never be finished. He only paused when he felt Baekhyun’s fingers start to play with the hem of his shirt, one hand sliding inside to skim across his stomach. 

He peaked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at Baekhyun, “Are you trying to start something?”

Baekhyun flashed a smile, “Sure am.”

Yixing turned back around, “Wait until I’m done with the dishes. Then I’m all yours.”

“Can’t wait.” Baekhyun’s hand snuck lower to stroke over the skin above his hip, “I need you right now.”

Yixing switched off the faucet and turned around, wrapping his arms around Baekhyun’s waist. “Right now, huh?”

Baekhyun cradled his face between both hands, “Right now.”

The edge of the counter dug into Yixing’s back as Baekhyun kissed him, pressing into him from chest to thigh as their lips moved together. Baekhyun rolled his hips forward, breaking their kiss to talk against Yixing’s ear, “Take me to your bed. Please?”

Yixing smiled, “Of course. I should take care of you properly.” He laced their fingers together and pulled Baekhyun into the hallway leading to the bedroom. 

Yixing turned on the lamp on his bedside table and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He reached his hands out towards Baekhyun, pulling him forward to take a seat on his lap. “What do you want, baby?” 

Baekhyun reached down to pull his shirt over his head, throwing it over his shoulder onto the floor. “I want you to suck my dick, and then I want to ride you.”

“That can be arranged.” Yixing hummed, letting Baekhyun remove his shirt as well. “Sit back against the headboard.”

Baekhyun slid off his thighs and did as he was told, lounging back against Yixing’s pillows. 

Yixing straddled his hips, taking a moment to let his eyes roam over Baekhyun’s body while Baekhyun seemed to do the same. 

Baekhyun reached up to skate his hands over Yixing’s ribs, “God, you look so good. I don’t understand why you ever wear clothes.”

Yixing chuckled, then ducked his head down to mouth over Baekhyun’s collarbones, biting them gently before he moved down to Baekhyun’s chest and laved his tongue over one of Baekhyun’s nipples. 

Baekhyun shuddered beneath him, hips rocking upward to get some friction. Still trapped in his sweatpants, he rolled against Yixing’s ass as the other man continued to abuse his chest with his tongue and teeth. 

“Shit.” he swore when Yixing gave a hard suck to his nipple, “I want that mouth on my dick, Xing, God.”

Yixing clicked his tongue as he pulled away, “So impatient.”

“I stole these sweatpants from you, and I’m going to come in them if you don’t take them off soon.” Baekhyun informed him, “It’s your laundry at risk here.”

Yixing’s eyes darkened as he reached between their bodies to palm Baekhyun’s erection, “If you think that making you come in my clothes grosses me out more than it turns me on, you are very, very wrong.”

“Take them off, please.” Baekhyun whined, grinding against Yixing’s hand.

Yixing pulled the waistband down with a sigh, “Fine. But next time, we’re exploring this further.”

Baekhyun didn’t respond, just lifted his hips so Yixing could fully remove his pants. His neck snapped back when Yixing’s fingers wrapped around his dick, groaning as he finally got the stimulation he needed. 

Yixing kissed Baekhyun’s thigh as he dragged his thumb across the pink tip of Baekhyun’s cock, sliding it through the precum gathered there. He sucked a small mark into the soft skin of Baekhyun’s inner thigh before he wrapped his lips around the head of Baekhyun’s erection. 

Baekhyun hissed and wrapped his fingers in Yixing’s hair, tugging at it lightly. His knuckles turned white as Yixing took the rest of him into his mouth, throat constricting around him as he hollowed out his cheeks. Yixing licked a messy stripe from the base to the tip before pulling away for a moment. 

“Pass me the lube,” he instructed, pointing to the nightstand. 

Baekhyun whined at the interruption, but did as he was told, twisting to reach into the drawer and get the bottle Yixing asked for. 

Yixing popped open the cap and drizzled some onto his fingers, taking a moment to rub them together and warm up the lube. He reached beneath Baekhyun and massaged the area around his hole, only inserting a finger when he could feel the muscles there begin to relax. 

As he worked his finger into Baekhyun, Yixing returned to his original task. Baekhyun could feel tight heat coiling in his stomach as Yixing worked him over, mouth and fingers pushing him towards the edge. 

“I’m gonna come, Yixing.” he gasped as his lover added another slicked up finger to his ass, “Oh my god, I’m gonna come.”

Yixing pulled off of him for a second while his fingers continued to move inside of him, “Can you come twice, baby? If I get you off now, do you promise to come again on my cock?”

“Shit, yes!” Baekhyun moaned as Yixing used the two fingers inside him to rub over his prostate, “Please, I promise!”

Yixing swallowed him whole, humming around Baekhyun’s dick as he pulsed his fingers inside of his ass. Baekhyun threw his head back against the pillows, gasping as the pressure inside him grew unbearable. His hips twitched uncontrollably as he came, his orgasm ripping through him in waves. 

Yixing swallowed everything, continuing to suckle on the head as Baekhyun shivered through the aftershocks. Baekhyun groaned and tugged on his hair, pulling him away from his softening dick. 

“Turn over, baby.” Yixing slapped his hip lightly, pulling his fingers out of Baekhyun’s ass and pouring more lube into his hand. 

Baekhyun flipped over, burying his head into the pillows as he pushed his hips up into the air. 

“God, Baekhyun.” Yixing muttered appreciatively as he started to work three fingers into Baekhyun’s hole, “Your ass is art.”

Baekhyun closed his eyes and let himself drown in sensation. Yixing’s fingers skated over his prostate but never pressed, keeping him balanced on the edge of pleasure and overstimulation, as he gradually began to harden again.

Eventually, Yixing had him panting, pressing back onto Yixing’s fingers as the thrusts became smooth and rhythmic. Baekhyun lifted up his head and peaked back at Yixing. 

“Why the hell are your pants still on?” he asked, pushing up onto his elbows. “Take those off and switch places with me.”

Yixing chuckled and pulled his fingers out of Baekhyun’s ass, flicking open the button on his jeans. “Pass me a condom,” he requested as he pulled his pants and boxers off of his hips, groaning as he stroked his dick with his lube-slicked hand. 

Baekhyun crawled to the end of the bed, pushing against Yixing’s chest to force him back against the headboard, “As a literal deity, I am incapable of catching or transmitting sexual diseases. I don’t want you to wear one.”

Yixing’s eyelids slid shut for a moment and the hand wrapped around his cock squeezed tight. Despite his clear arousal, he opened his eyes again to check with Baekhyun, “Are you sure, baby? That could get messy; do you want me to pull out?”

Baekhyun arranged himself in Yixing’s lap and took his face between both of his hands before answering, “I want you to come inside me,” his voice shook, “Please.”

“Fuck.” Yixing’s chin dipped down to his chest, and a long breath rattled through his lips as he gathered his composure, “Yeah. Yeah, let’s do it.” 

Baekhyun lined himself up and sunk down onto Yixing’s cock, his own dick dragging against Yixing’s stomach as they pressed themselves together. He paused once he was fully seated, breathing deeply as he adjusted to the feeling of Yixing inside him. 

One of Yixing’s hands rested on his hip, the other coming up to caress his cheek, “So good, baby. You’re doing so well.”

Baekhyun pushed himself up then dropped back down, feeling the drag of Yixing’s bare skin against his insides. His thighs trembled as he bounced in Yixing’s lap, shaking with the effort of fucking himself on Yixing’s dick. 

They built a rhythm together, rocking into one another. Yixing tried to reach down to stroke Baekhyun’s cock, but the smaller boy snatched his wrist before he could. 

“Don’t want to come yet,” he insisted as he pinned Yixing’s arm to his side, “I want to do this forever.”

Yixing chuckled and gave a sharp thrust, driving a sharp gasp out of Baekhyun, “I’m definitely not going to last forever, baby.”

Baekhyun leaned forward to kiss him, lips feverish as he licked into Yixing’s mouth. “I love you, Yixing.” he whispered as he quickened the pace, “I love you so much.”

Yixing groaned, his hips stuttering as he approached his high. He ground his hips against Baekhyun’s ass as he answered, “I love you too. I’m close baby, come with me.”

Baekhyun felt his own orgasm hurtle towards him as everything became too much. He pressed their foreheads together as tears began to well up in his eyes, “I’m there. I love you, Yixing. Please come inside me.”

Yixing’s dick pulsed inside him, his stomach tensing as he rutted into Baekhyun’s ass. Baekhyun felt a burst of warmth inside him, and with a moan he reached between them to stroke himself once, twice, and then he was tumbling over the edge with Yixing. His dick throbbed between them as he released all over their stomachs. 

Yixing held Baekhyun tight against him, petting his hair as they came down. Gradually, their panting evened out, and Yixing became aware of a wet feeling against his neck. 

He pulled away from Baekhyun in surprise, “Are you crying?”

Baekhyun pushed himself back into Yixing’s shoulder, his voice breaking as he answered, “I love you.”

Yixing cooed and stroked his back comfortingly, “Ah, I love you too, Baekhyunnie. Don’t cry. Let’s clean up and go to sleep.” 

Baekhyun set his teeth and pulled away, rubbing at his eyes with his palms. “You’re right,” he answered through a watery smile, “Let’s sleep.”

They cleaned up together, dressing in pajamas before they lay down together. 

When Yixing clicked off the lamp next to his bed, Baekhyun was soft and warm next to him. When he turned it back on in the morning, Baekhyun was gone.

* * *

The moon acted as a beacon in the night sky as Minseok sat on the floor of his temple. He kept his face turned towards her light, and even with his eyes closed, he could perceive her white glow. 

His meditation was interrupted by the echoing sound of footsteps on stone. He opened his eyes to see Baekhyun standing on the steps, hair messy and eyes swollen. 

“Baekhyun!” he pushed himself onto his feet, “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you in weeks. What happened?”

Baekhyun didn’t answer. He walked into the crumbling structure that Minseok called home and touched one of the walls, dragging his fingertips across the rock wall. 

“This place has power, right Minseok?” he asked, avoiding eye contact with the older man, “It’s for praying?”

“That’s right.” Minseok answered tentatively. 

Baekhyun let his hand fall away from the wall, and he walked into the center of the temple and sunk to his knees. He finally looked at Minseok, “Can I pray here?”

Minseok floundered for a moment as he tried to figure out what was going on. He took a steadying breath and stood behind Baekhyun and placed his hands on his shoulders. “Of course you can. You can speak out loud or in your mind. The forest will hear you either way.”

Baekhyun spoke out into the darkness, his voice quiet but firm. “I pray for Yixing, the human living on the edge of these woods. Bless him with success and prosperity. Give him a long and happy life with many people to care for and love.” He paused, “Bless him with people who will return the kindness and strength he gives to others. This is all I ask.”

They stood quietly like that for a long moment, inside the moonlight drenched walls of Minseok’s temple. The air around them grew cold, and Minseok saw Baekhyun begin to glow as a downpour of rain started to come down outside. 

He sunk down behind Baekhyun, laying his head on his shoulder as he wrapped both arms around the boy he had risen from the dead. “You’ve done the right thing, Hyunnie.” He held him tighter, “It was always going to hurt, but letting go now is easier than being forced apart later.”

A crack of thunder shook the walls around them, and Baekhyun leaned back against Minseok’s chest. “I understand.” 

A flash of lightening. “This is how things are.”


	6. Chapter 6

No matter how long he spent away, Yixing’s gaze was always pulled back to the forest. Past the skyline of Seoul, it was impossible to see even a glimpse of the trees, but even years after he left, Yixing could feel it drawing him back. 

As he left the crematorium, tear tracks still fresh on his face, Yixing felt the forest calling to him once again. Junmyeon lay in ashes behind him, claimed by the creeping menace of old age. His husband had been his joy up until the very end, and the world felt too big to face without him. 

A slender arm crept around his shoulder and squeezed him tight. 

“You okay, dad?” Seulgi asked, keeping her arm wrapped around him. 

Yixing leaned into her a little and sighed, “I’m afraid I don’t know how to go on.”

She didn’t reply for a minute, her eyes shifting down to the sidewalk before coming back up to meet his gaze, “Papa wouldn’t want us to be sad. It’ll get easier with time.” 

She let go of his shoulder, “I’m going to go ahead and start the car. It can get warm while you catch up.”

Seulgi pecked his cheek, then hurried on ahead, leaving Yixing to hobble after her. Emotion welled up inside his chest as he watched her go, strong legs and a straight back carrying her forward without even a glance back. She could survive just fine without her daddies now. 

When he entered his empty apartment, the longing he felt intensified. Every room in the place was dark and cold, remnants of his late husband still present in every corner. An unfinished book on the nightstand. Two dirty mugs in the sink. An extra toothbrush in the bathroom. 

Reality crashed down on Yixing with the force of several tons. His husband was dead. His daughter didn’t need him anymore. It dawned on him that everything he had worked for and built up to this point was now behind him. He was utterly alone. 

An old duffel bag lay crumpled in the back of closet, and Yixing pulled it out now, shoving clothes and supplies into it with a burst of manic energy. He glanced at the pill bottles lined up on his windowsill, considering them carefully before deciding to leave them behind. 

Driving past the bright lights of Seoul, doubt crept into Yixing’s heart. He’d often entertained the thought that Baekhyun had never been anything more than a dream or a hallucination, and that idea came back to him now. What if he returned to the forest only to find that Baekhyun was not there? And even if he was still there, would he want to see him? 

He shoved his misgivings into the back of his mind and kept driving. Eventually, the neon faded and yielded to the blackness of the night. Although he hadn’t travelled this road in decades, the path was clear in his memory. It felt like returning home. The road started to change as he left the pavement, becoming bumpy and uneven as he got further from the city. Eventually, the welcoming silhouette of trees emerged directly in front of him. 

Yixing’s chest felt tight as the shape of the house came into view. He’d never had the heart to sell it, knowing that even if he didn’t return, another stranger coming in would upset Baekhyun. 

The door of his truck sounded too loud as it creaked open, breaking the quiet of the clearing. He’d lived in the city so long that he’d nearly forgotten what this perfect stillness sounded like. Gravel crunched beneath his feet when he climbed out of the truck and reached for the duffel bag sitting in the passenger seat. 

It was a clear night, and a warm breeze drifted past him when he dropped the bag on the porch and moved to dust off the rocking chair that still stood in front of the house. To his surprise, it wasn’t very dirty at all. Closer investigation revealed that not only was the chair clean, but the wood was worn completely smooth beneath the rails. Somebody had been rocking in it, daily if the marks in the porch were any indication. 

He settled into the chair with a sigh, wrapping his jacket around him tight and wondering how he should proceed from here. Did he need to do something to get Baekhyun’s attention? He’d never asked the nymph exactly how his perception of the forest worked.

Before he could do anything, he felt it: the nearly forgotten sensation of someone that he couldn’t see watching him just outside of the limits of his periphery. 

“Baekhyun?” he called out, “Are you there? It’s, um… it’s me. I’ve come back.” 

The air at the bottom of his stairs shimmered and blurred, revealing the unchanged face of his lost lover staring back at him.

Baekhyun looked exactly the same. Still young, beautiful, and glowing here in the depths of the woods. 

“Yixing?” Baekhyun whispered, creeping a little closer to get a better look at him. 

Yixing did his best to smile, “That’s right. Do you recognize me?”

Baekhyun’s soft hands came up to cradle his face between them, “Of course I do. Why are you here?”

Yixing’s eyes started to water, “I did what you wanted. I went back into the world and lived my life. It took me a long time to understand that you were right about our relationship, but in the end, I’m grateful to you. I was married to a human, and we adopted a daughter. My research was published, and it hasn’t come to fruition yet, but there are many young, bright minds working to finish what I started. I’ve been happy, but…”

The tears fell, “All of that is over now. Now that I’ve done what I needed to, will you let me stay? It’s so selfish of me, but… I kept you company all those years ago, Baekhyun. Would you do the same for me now?”

Baekhyun pulled him into a hug, pressing Yixing’s cheek into his abdomen. “Of course I will, sweetheart, I’m so proud of you. You’ve done so well.”

Yixing fumbled through his pockets to pull out a key, pushing it into Baekhyun’s palm. “Let’s go inside. We have a lot to catch up on.”

* * *

Despite his best efforts to be an exemplary caretaker, Baekhyun could see that Yixing’s health was flagging. He pleaded with the other man to go see a doctor on a daily basis, but Yixing insisted that he was finished with all that business. They’d gotten into a fight when Baekhyun found out that Yixing was supposed to be taking heart medication every day. 

As he’d pulled Yixing’s bag apart looking for the bottles, the older man had told him not to bother. “I left them in Seoul. Don’t worry about it; nature will take its course.”

“How is this fair?” Baekhyun snarled at him, “Am I just supposed to hang around and watch you die? This is why I disappeared in the first place, you know. I wouldn’t have come back if I knew you weren’t even going to try to stay for a little while.”

Yixing bent over to pick up the clothes Baekhyun had strewn across the room, slowly gathering them into his arms. He placed them on the bed, then sat down to start folding them. 

“It’s not fair,” he agreed, “But this is the choice I have made. I’ll be okay if you decide to leave, Baekhyun. I will understand.”

Baekhyun huffed and pushed a hand through his hair, “I’m not leaving. I just don’t understand why you won’t let me take care of you properly.”

“You’re taking care of me in every way that matters.” Yixing stopped folding in order to look Baekhyun in the eyes, “And I’m grateful to you.”

Baekhyun sighed, “I know. I’m sorry for yelling. You know I love you, right?”

Yixing smiled sadly and nodded, “I do. Perhaps your life would be easier if you didn’t.”

Baekhyun pushed Yixing’s hair up so he could kiss his wrinkled forehead, “Of course it would. That doesn’t mean I would change anything. I’m going to go check on the soup.”

* * *

A week after the argument, Baekhyun was helping Yixing into bed when his friend reached out and grabbed his hand. 

“Perhaps it would be best if you left the house tonight.” Yixing told him, “Go back out into the forest and recharge.”

Baekhyun frowned at him, “I’m doing just fine. I would just worry the whole time that you might need something during the night.”

Yixing squeezed his fingers, “I would like to spare you some pain, Baekhyun. Leave the house tonight.”

The air around them seemed to thicken as the meaning of Yixing’s words sunk in. Baekhyun felt his throat tighten and anxiety clutch at his chest. “Don’t be dramatic,” he forced out a laugh. “Tonight isn’t any different than last night.”

Yixing just looked at him, eyes sad. He lay back on the bed, and a deep breath rattled out of his lungs. 

“Go have a nice walk in the woods. It’ll be good for you.” 

Baekhyun pulled Yixing’s blankets over him and glanced at the door. Outside of the bedroom, he could see past the front window to the porch, where there was just enough light to see the dark silhouette of the tree line. The familiar sight offered him a haven just past the front door of the house. 

He glanced back down at Yixing, who had turned his head away to face the wall. Behind Baekhyun’s eyelids, he could picture his last day as a human with perfect clarity. He could remember the exact moment when he realized that life was slipping from between his fingers and the desperate panic of understanding that he was facing death alone. There was no one to take care of his body. No one to pray for him. No one to hold him as he left. 

Baekhyun crawled onto the bed. He clasped one of Yixing’s hands between both of his own and pushed himself against the other man’s side. 

“Go to sleep, Yixing.” he whispered, “I’m not going anywhere.” 

Yixing’s chest shuddered beneath Baekhyun’s cheek, “Thank you,” tears streamed down the sides of his face, “Thank you.”

* * *

The soil was spongy beneath Baekhyun’s feet as he carried his friend through the woods. The air around them turned gray and hazy as a thick fog seemed to ooze out of his pores, contaminating the area around them with dense humidity. 

The further he walked, the heavier Yixing felt, bearing down on his arms with more weight than any person had the right to have. No human should feel this heavy. No mortal should be able to weigh him down like this. 

As soon as they reached their destination, it filled with the same creeping mist that had followed them through the woods. During the day, this ring of mushrooms looked remarkably plain, keeping their gift of light saved only for those who ventured into the woods at night. Baekhyun carried the body to the exact center of the fairy circle and laid it down with the utmost care. 

He knelt down on the ground and hung his head against his chest, the corners of his eyes stinging as he started to speak. 

“I pray for the soul of Zhang Yixing.” A sob threatened to break out of his throat, but Baekhyun cut it off, “Guide him out of this world and into the next. I pray that he will find rest and happiness with his husband, who waits for him on the other side.”

Hot tears dripped off the edge of his chin, “And please give me the strength to say good-bye one more time.”

He extended his awareness into the soil beneath him with the intention to part it. Before he could create the hole, Baekhyun felt his breath leave his body as a surge of magical energy pulsed into the clearing. 

His eyes snapped open, and he stared in confusion as the greenery around Yixing’s body grew unnaturally fast, crawling up his arms and legs and encasing him in vines. 

A glance up revealed the source of the magic. Minseok stood several yards away with one arm outstretched. Baekhyun could barely make him out through the thick mist, but the forest deity appeared to be deep in concentration. 

“Minseok…?” he called out in confusion, but was quickly cut off. 

“Be quiet, Baekhyun.” Minseok ordered, “I need to focus. It’s a delicate process, and I’ve only managed it once before.”

The fog in the clearing burned away as Minseok’s glow grew brighter and brighter. Baekhyun was forced to close his eyes as the light became too intense to bear. Inside of his chest, a fist seemed to tighten around his heart as anticipation blossomed inside of him. 

When the light died down, Baekhyun kept his eyes tightly shut, afraid to open them and see the result of Minseok’s magic. If it didn’t work, he didn’t think he could bear to have his hope ripped away from him. 

“I hope you’ll forgive me.” Baekhyun heard Minseok apologize, and his heart plummeted, “I couldn’t answer your prayer this time. Yixing’s soul can’t go on because it needs to stay here.”

Baekhyun gasped, eyes flying open. On the ground next to him, the plants were falling away to reveal the body beneath. Yixing’s aged and withered frame was replaced with the physique that Baekhyun remembered. His face was smooth and young again, all traces of the years they spent apart erased in moments. 

With trembling hands, Baekhyun lowered his ear down to Yixing’s chest, holding his breath as he listened. Beneath skin and bone, the sound was clear and distinct. A heartbeat. 

He whipped his head around to look at Minseok, who was leaning heavily against his knees and gulping in air. Baekhyun gaped at the god, unable to form a response to the situation. 

“It’s okay, Baekhyun.” Minseok stumbled over to him and sat down, “Let’s be here when he wakes up, alright?”

* * *

When Yixing opened his eyes, the world was blue. In the night sky, there was no moon, but he was surrounded by light. His neck was stiff, but he managed to glance to the side, where he was able to see the border of a fairy circle. He realized that he recognized this place. Baekhyun had brought him here a long, long time ago. 

But the mushrooms weren’t bright enough to explain the bright light around him. He turned to the other side and smiled when he saw Baekhyun sitting there with a man that he didn’t recognize. Baekhyun was beaming at him with bright eyes, shining like a flashlight with happiness. 

“Yixing?” he asked, “How do you feel?”

Yixing pushed himself up onto his elbows, groaning as his muscles protested, “I’m sore, but…” his voice trailed off as he looked down at his body. “I’m dreaming.”

Baekhyun pulled him into a hug, grasping at him a little to tightly as he answered, “No. It’s so much better than that.”

Baekhyun pressed their lips together, kissing him with just a hint of desperation. Yixing melted into the other man’s embrace, feeling a surge of affection swell within him as Baekhyun held him. 

He brought a hand up to touch Baekhyun’s face, but paused when he caught sight of his own palm. His lips froze against Baekhyun’s as he got distracted. He was glowing. Emitting the same ethereal blue that surrounded Baekhyun. 

Baekhyun grinned and held the shining hand between his own, bringing it up to kiss Yixing’s palm. 

“You’ve been reborn.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're done! I hope you enjoyed the story <3


End file.
